Status Report: Seguin could play in preseason finale for Stars

Welcome to the NHL Status Report. With training camp and preseason games underway, here is the latest lineup/injury news around the NHL.

Dallas Stars

Tyler Seguin could make his preseason debut for the Stars against the Minnesota Wild on Friday (8 p.m. ET; TNT, truTV, HBO MAX). The forward hasn't played since Dec. 2, when he tore the ACL in his right knee during a 3-2 overtime loss at the New York Rangers. Seguin had surgery Dec. 16. The typical timeline for recovery is nine months. "We'll know more tomorrow, but it looks like he's going to be on track to play the last game, which is great," coach Glen Gulutzan said Wednesday. "Because you'd rather get that one out of the way before you play your first real one." Seguin had 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) and was plus-10 in 27 games for Dallas prior to the injury. ... Forwards Matt Duchene and Colin Blackwell each skated with the Stars on Wednesday and could play Friday as well. Duchene is not injured but was provided maintenance days as a precaution. He was limited to 57 games last season because of injuries. Blackwell sustained a lower-body injury during practice Saturday and did not play in a 2-1 preseason win against the St. Louis Blues on Monday. "As far as I know, just talking with them as I was passing by, they both felt pretty good," Gulutzan said. "We'll see how they are tomorrow in the A.M. I would think that one, I would probably be betting, would be a practice player (Thursday), but I'm not sure." ... Goaltender Jake Oettinger was scratched from a scheduled start before Wednesday’s 2-0 preseason win against the Minnesota Wild due to lower-body tightness. “Jake was a bit precautionary,” Gulutzan said. “He had a little tightness, lower-body tightness, and we weren’t gonna take a chance.” Gulutzan did not rule out Oettinger for Friday’s final preseason game against the Wild, but said he would be “looked at again” on Thursday.

Philadelphia Flyers

Dan Vladar is day to day and could be able to play for the Flyers in their season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sept. 30 (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT). The goalie did not practice Wednesday, one day after he sustained an upper-body injury in the first period of a 5-1 preseason loss at the Boston Bruins. He made six saves on seven shots before being replaced by Aleksei Kolosov. "Anything in that situation you dodge a bullet, so we dodged a bullet," coach Rick Tocchet said. "He's in good spirits today." Vladar set NHL career-bests in games played (52), starts (51), wins (29), and goals-against average (2.42) last season for Philadelphia, which clinched a Stanley Cup Playoff berth for the first time in six seasons. He signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract ($5.5 million average annual value) on July 1 that begins next season. If he is unavailable for the season opener, Joseph Woll would get the start after being acquired in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs on June 16. Woll was 15-16-7 with a 3.34 GAA and .899 save percentage last season.

Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin may not play in the preseason for the Capitals because of a lower-body injury. The 41-year-old left wing practiced Wednesday but left after about 15 minutes. He remains day to day. "Just precautionary," coach Spencer Carbery said. "Didn't quite feel right to practice today and came out and gave it a try, but we just want to be cautious with him at this point and not push it." Ovechkin, who is beginning his 22nd NHL season, has been practicing on a line with Dylan Strome and Ryan Leonard during training camp.  Carbery said he wasn't concerned about the injury. "Not at this point. Him being out there and practicing is a pretty good indicator that it's not too serious," Carbery said. "I think it's just not wanting to push it if he’s not quite 100 percent at this point before the season." The Capitals have two preseason games remaining, at home against the Boston Bruins on Friday and at the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. They play their season opener at the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 2.

Buffalo Sabres

Mattias Samuelsson is week to week because of a lower-body injury, and Olen Zellweger is in concussion protocol after the Sabres defensemen were injured in a 5-1 preseason win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. Samuelsson blocked a shot from forward Luca Pinelli at 4:36 of the second period and played a few more shifts before leaving at 10:20. Zellweger was injured on a hit from defenseman Carson Soucy with 1:30 left in the second. Louis Crevier skated in Samuelsson's spot alongside captain Rasmus Dahlin on the top pair at practice Wednesday, and Conor Timmins joined Owen Power, who had been paired with Zellweger since the start of training camp. "You want to be a good team, you have to deal with adversity," coach Lindy Ruff said. "We're going to have to deal with adversity right off the bat."

Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar is on track to play against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday (8:30 p.m. ET), Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. The defenseman missed the start of training camp because of a lower-body injury but was a full participant at practice Tuesday. "Feeling really good. Just continue to build, hopefully feel good the rest of this week, and see what happens," Makar said Tuesday. "It was a little bit of a grind over the summer to kind of get where I am now, especially with both of these (injuries). I'm in the best spot I've ever felt right now, so I'm feeling good." Makar signed an eight-year, $163.2 million contract ($20.4 million average annual value) on Aug. 28 that begins next season. He had 79 points (20 goals, 59 assists) in 75 regular-season games last season and five points (four goals, one assist) in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Ottawa Senators

Artem Zub is not expected to be ready for the start of the regular season because of a lingering knee injury the defenseman sustained during the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, Senators coach Travis Green said Wednesday. ... Forward Warren Foegele, who has been dealing with an undisclosed injury since the start of training camp, skated for the first time but will not play in either of Ottawa's split-squad preseason games against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday; Green was unsure whether the he will be available for the preseason game against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. ... Defenseman Jordan Spence won't play Wednesday as a precaution because of a minor issue. ... Defenseman Jake Sanderson (undisclosed) did not practice Wednesday and will not play in either split-squad game.

Los Angeles Kings

Corey Perry will be away from the Kings for personal reasons for a few days, coach Peter Laviolette said Tuesday. The 41-year-old forward signed with Los Angeles on July 1. He had 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in 50 games with the Kings before being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 6. ,,, Mats Zuccarello remains in a noncontact jersey after injuring his shoulder in a fall prior to training camp, and Laviolette does not know when the 39-year-old forward will play in a preseason game. "At some point we'd like to see him out of that jersey, but I think erring on the side of caution, especially at this time of year, is a good thing," Laviolette said prior to a 6-3 preseason loss to the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday.

New York Islanders

Semyon Varlamov made his first NHL appearance since Nov. 29, 2024, when the Islanders defeated the New York Rangers 4-3 on Tuesday. The 38-year-old goalie, who is coming off partial knee replacements, stopped all 10 shots he faced in the come-from-behind win after replacing Ilya Sorokin during the second period. "It was a preseason game, but it's exciting to win, even a preseason game," Varlamov said. "It's nice to be out there with the teammates, battle, and yeah, I had fun today. Overall, it was a good game. I just tried to get used to the game speed, feel good and work on a few things." Varlamov played two games for Bridgeport of the American Hockey League at the end of last season. "It's been quite a journey for him," Islanders coach Peter DeBoer said. "He got in those American league games at the end of last year, so it's not like it's his first game action, but first game action at the NHL level after a long rehab. I'm really excited for him."